Day 325: Hikers climb roughly 400' in three-quarters of a mile to reach Faraway Rock and a splendid view of Louise Lake from above, but for me, the Lakes Trail is more memorable for its numerous "pothole" tarns. Each has its individual appeal. The first is surrounded by blue huckleberry bushes, and later in September, the red leaves and backdrop of golden grass make it a veritable jewel of the backcountry. A dip in the trail just beyond this point gives a unique perspective of the tarn, the basin and water surface approximately at eye level to the viewer travelling downhill. Further up, other tarns serve as elk wallows and polliwog pools, the shorelines alive in season with thousands of newly emerged froglets. Many (most) of the tarns along this trail are muddy-bottomed, as anyone who steps into one with the intention of wading soon discovers as they sink up to the knees or deeper in soft goo, so although they seem clear and inviting, you're better off sticking to the trail even when your clothes are sticking to you!
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